


Julie and the Phantoms: The Band Lives On Series

by JukePhantoms1124



Series: The Band Lives On [4]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:47:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26598544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JukePhantoms1124/pseuds/JukePhantoms1124
Summary: We're going back to the beginning...Reggie and Julie help a nervous Ray get ready for his first date since 2002. And Julie sees a different side to Reggie when he finally opens up about someone from his past.
Relationships: Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Series: The Band Lives On [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1929313
Comments: 29
Kudos: 586





	Julie and the Phantoms: The Band Lives On Series

It was hard to believe that it had only been a few weeks since that day in the garage, but ever since then life under her roof had been a lot less stressful. Not having to worry anymore about getting caught talking to herself, not having to hide every little thing from her dad…it had been great so far.

Reggie’s relationship with Ray also grew stronger now that it was not one-sided, and they even started playing chess together almost every night. Her dad was surprised at first how good Reggie was, but after getting beat once or twice…she assumed he was starting to get annoyed.

“Is it weird?” she asked her dad one night while watching them play. “Seeing his pieces move on its own like that?”

“At first,” he said as he studied the board while Reggie planned his next move. “But…I’m used to it now.”

“Checkmate!” Reggie exclaimed with a grin

“Dang it!”

She had just laughed and patted him on the back. “Don’t worry, dad…you’ll get him next time.”

Now, her and Reggie sat on his bed as they watched a nervous Ray get ready for his date…his first date since mom.

“You look great, Dad,” Julie assured him once he relented and put on the blue shirt. “Reggie’s right…it really brings out your eyes.”

He lifted a brow. “Yeah?”

“Oh yeah,” Reggie said giving him a wink, even if he couldn’t see him. “What’s her name is going to love it.”

Julie laughed and gave him a nudge. “Her name is Maggie.”

“Right! Maggie! They met on that app…what’s it called again? Tinker?”

Julie snorted. “ _Tinder_ …you goof.”

“Did he call it Tinker, again?” Ray asked as he shrugged on a dark brown corduroy jacket to go over the shirt.

“Yes,” she said with a chuckle.

“Whatever,” Reggie said as he got up the bed to stand behind Ray who was looking at himself in the mirror over the dresser. “You look great, Ray…but nervous…” He turned to Julie with a frown. “He looks like…really nervous.”

“Yeah…I know.” She sighed and got up from the bed as well. “Dad…are you okay?’

He turned and smiled. “Of course, honey…it’s just…I’m a little nervous.”

Reggie shook his head sadly. “Called it.”

“You have a right to be,” Julie said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. “This is a big step for you.”

“I haven’t had a first date since I met your mother, Jules,” he said turning towards her. “That was 2002.”

“Well, I haven’t had a first date since 1995,” Reggie chimed in. “So…can’t be all that bad.”

“Dad…I know me and Carlos sort of…pressured you into dating again…”

He barked out a laugh. “That’s an understatement.”

“It was Carlos’ idea to make the Tinder account,” she said.

“Throwing your brother under the bus now, are we?” he teased.

“Dad…we just want you to be happy,” she assured him. “But…if you’re not ready…”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready,” he admitted as he turned back to the mirror and adjusted his collar. “But…I can’t really know unless I try, right?”

“Exactly…and it’s just dinner, right? And do you really want to spend another night losing to Reggie at chess?”

“Hey!” Reggie said, slightly offended. “There is nothing wrong with that.”

“Yeah, because you always win,” Julie pointed out.

Reggie grinned. “That’s true.”

“It’s degrading,” Ray grumbled. “Losing to a seventeen-year-old ghost all the time.”

“Don’t feel too bad, Ray…my dad taught me at an early age…it was kind of our thing.”

“His dad taught him,” Julie passed on. “It was their thing.”

“Well, his dad taught him well…he’s very good.” He then put on his game face and pointed in the direction he thought Reggie was. “But rematch…tomorrow night.”

Reggie smiled and since he was way off…stepped over to the direction Ray pointed and then pointed back. “It’s on, Ray-Ray!”

Julie let out a laugh. “He happily accepted…now, you better go…you don’t want to be late.”

“Right!” He patted his pockets and looked around for his phone.

“On the bedside table,” both Julie and Reggie said at the same time and then shared a smile.

Ray ran over and quickly grabbed it and left the room with Julie and Reggie at his heels. “Okay, call me if there’s an emergency, but only if there’s an emergency.”

“Define emergency?” Julie asked as they walked downstairs.

“If Reggie sets the house on fire,” Ray said as he turned to face them with a grin on his face. “You kids have fun.”

“Bye!” they both said with a wave and then Reggie rested his elbow on her shoulder. “Just look at him…our boy’s all grown up.”

Julie faked a sniffle as she placed a hand on her heart. “I’m so proud!”

Reggie chuckled. “Hey, so…Carlos is staying with a friend tonight, right?”

“Yeah,” she said as she made her way back into the kitchen. “Have the whole house to myself…” She gave him a teasing look over her shoulder. “At least among the living.”

He made a face. “Cute. Do you think he’ll mind if I play Mario Kart while he’s gone?”

“No.” She opened the refrigerator and glanced inside, wincing at the package of hot dog links. Would she ever be able to eat a hot dog again? Maybe one day, but…not when the guys were in her lives. It seemed…rude. 

She decided she wasn’t that hungry yet anyway so simply snagged a bottle of Sunkist. “He wouldn’t mind even if he was home…you know he loves playing with you.”

“I know…he’s a great kid…makes me miss my little sister a bit.”

Stunned, she quickly straightened as she shut the door. “What?” Julie asked with a frown. “I didn’t know you had a little sister?”

“Well…considering she’s thirty-five years old now, not really, but…yeah…I had a little sister. She was ten when I died.”

She paused a moment as she unscrewed the bottle, the loud fizzle echoed through the air. “You guys really don’t talk about your family much, I mean…I know about Luke’s parents a little since I met them, but…I really don’t know a lot.”

“It’s not that we don’t want to tell you, Jules. I can’t personally speak for the guys, but when I am with you…I forget that I’m a ghost. Especially when I can do things like this…” He paused to lift a finger and tap her nose. “Boop.”

She gave him a look. “Did you really just boop me?”

“Yes…I saw it in a TikTok.”

“Of course you did.”

“Anyway…bringing up my family always makes me remember what I’ve lost and so…I just don’t like to talk about it much.”

“I understand,” she said with a nod before taking her first sip. “We don’t have to talk about her, but…when you’re ready…I would love to know more about you…you’re like a brother to me, Reg.”

Reggie took a deep breath as he looked away. “What _is it_ with this family’s ability to make me _cry_?”

Julie laughed as she set her drink down. “Well…you better man up because I’m going to hug you now.”

“Oh man,” he playfully wined but smiled when she leaned in for the hug. “I haven’t seen her yet,” he admitted while he took in her comfort and then felt the words tumble out of him. “My sister…she lives in Burbank, married with two kids. A boy and a girl.”

She leaned back and beamed up at him. “Seriously? You’re an uncle?”

“Weird, right?” He gave a little laugh but couldn’t really muster much of a smile. “I haven’t seen them yet…I just know about them through a picture my mother has framed at her place. It’s of her and her husband with her kids…the husband looks nice…the kind of guy who likes to…”

“Barbeque?” Julie finished with a smile.

“Exactly…her daughter is the oldest, she looks close to Carlos’ age and her son…around five or six? They look like fun kids.”

“Since they’re related to you…I have no doubt.”

He just smiled. “I’m happy for my sister…her name is Logan, by the way…I actually got to name her.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he said with a laugh. “Well…I don’t remember much about it, but my mom told me that when she was pregnant, she jokingly asked me what we should name her. I was seven and obsessed with X-Men so…I said Logan…you know…after the wolverine?”

Julie laughed when he mimicked having steel claws and sliced them through the air. “Yes…I’m aware of the wolverine.”

“Glad some things never die…anyway, my mom had laughed at first, but…she fell in love with the name.”

“That’s really cool, Reggie,” Julie said. “Were you close with her?”

“Very…she was a cool kid…she was one of those girls that loved girly stuff, like Care Bears and Rainbow Bright, but also loved getting her hands dirty. She loved climbing trees, playing soccer or basketball…and she always loved to tag along with me and the guys. She loved hanging out in the garage…watch us rehearse. She had a huge crush on Alex…” 

He leaned closer towards her and whispered. “We didn’t have the heart to tell her.”

She let out a laugh. “Aww…poor, poor, Logan.”

Reggie smiled, something he rarely did when he talked about his family, but Julie always had a way. “So…that’s pretty much it, I…I haven’t had the guts… _literally_ …to visit her yet. Seeing the kids, seeing her with her family…just another reminder of what I missed out on.” 

“Now you’re going to make me cry.”

“Please don’t,” he said, slightly panicked as he grasped his shoulders. “It’s okay…I mean, now you know why I never talk about it…I prefer you seeing my happy, goofy side.”

“As much as a love that side…I’m honored you decided to share a little of your past with me…I know it wasn’t easy.”

“Actually, it wasn’t too bad,” he realized with a smile and even felt a little lighter. “I liked telling you about her.”

“I’m glad…and whenever you’re ready to talk some more about…anything…I’m here for you.” She gave his arm a little punch. “Bro.”

“Thanks.” He reached up and gave her another boop on the nose. “Sis.”

Her smile dropped. “Please don’t make that a thing.”

“Too late…it already is!”

He poofed out before she could say anything else and then just shook her head and laughed. When he heard Carlos’ game going from up the stairs, she was slightly comforted that she wasn’t truly by herself…that Reggie or any of the guys, were just a poof away if she needed them.

“Okay,” she said to herself as she made her way to the den. “It’s time for some _Friends.”_

She was almost to the couch when Luke suddenly popped up right in front of her, causing her to scream and jump backwards. Her slippers slid on the hardwood floor and felt herself start to fall, but a firm hand gripped her arm and yanked her back.

She let out another little shriek as she fell against his chest and then widened her eyes when he wrapped arm around her, trying to steady her.

“Easy there,” he said softly, giving her that lopsided grin that always made her heart flutter. “I got you.”

Julie gulped. _He most certainly did._


End file.
